A review of influences of modern movement architecture on today's Façade design in tropical climate of India

Abstract

Façade plays an important role in modern movement architecture and a critical role in the conception of energy and climate-optimized buildings: it is the building's skin and functions as an interface between interior and exterior space. It provides thermal and sound insulation and ventilation, and controls and guides the entrance of daylight into the building. Tropical climates have unique challenges to reduce solar heat gain through building envelope to make buildings energy efficient. India has a rich tradition of different forms of architecture and design principles - most of them are perfectly adapted to the climatic requirements and constructed with local building materials and technology. In the twentieth century, Modern Movement Architecture shows a global trend towards transparent, light-flled buildings with great expanses of windows and façades with advanced building technology. However, the twentieth century modern movement architecture in India evolved in response to the climate and culture. In India, remarkably diverse constellations of façade design can be traced in modern architecture often taking into consideration traditional Indian principles combining them with new materials and constructions. Most of them marked by overhanging balconies and horizontal brise-soleils and as an example of a human scaled urban infrastructure offering private and public green spaces in transition. After independence in 1947 more public, administrative and governmental buildings followed in the tradition of the modern movement and with emblematic character. This paper presents a review of the influences of modern movement architecture on today's facade design in tropical climate of India. The purpose of this review is to reappraise works of the masters of the modern movement, in the context of today's energy and environmental value system; a value system which justifies a greater capital cost in money terms with a view to minimize recurrent costs in energy terms and environmental degradation.